The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-08-18
A Terrible Railroad Slaughter.

AL excurs ion train of fifteen coaches carry
ing $50 passengers and drawn by two locomo-
tives, was wrecked at midnight "Wednesday by
the collapse ola burning bridge at Chatsworth
six miles east of Forest ILL.,, on the Toledo
Peoria and Western Railroad. One locomotive
six passenger coaches and three baggage cars
went through. One hundred and Eighteen dead
were taken out, and four hundred persons were
injured. The train was bound for Niagara
Falls, and the majority of the excursionists
came from Peoria, H., although there were
some from Canton, Ell Paso, Washington and
other places. The dead and wounded were
plundered in such systematic manner as to
suggest that the bridge had been deliberately
set on fire with that object in view. A surviv-
ing passenger makes the following statement
81 was on the second sleeper, The train was
going FAST when all at once, about midnight
there came peculiar shaking and jostling. l
thought we had been derailed. Our porter sa id,
we are all right when some one cried, There's
fire ahead = got up and went to the front of
the car and found the first engine had rushed
on, but the second engine had tulnbled into
the chasm. II had teleseoped and the en-
g1neer was shapeless mass. The first car was
turned at right angles with the track and the
remaining eleven cars were telescoped and
piled up in heap. Several of us climbed upon
the cars with axes and lanterns and went to
work. The first man found was Billy
Stevens. He was dead. We pulled him out
after some effort, and then pulled his two
daughters, Emma and Ida. out They were
both dead Everyone was groanins ana crying
Their feet seemed to be ,ammed ; most of them
had their legs broken. After an hour and
half we cleared the cars. People were Offering
$50 each for relief. Probably there were dozen
bodies taken out. L then went down on the
ground and assisted in taking the dead down.
They put plank up and they helped them out,
sliding them down the plank. If they were
dead they put them in one pile; if alive, they
put them in another. The rescued people
seemed to want to see their families at once.
There were in Mrs. James Deals party five peo-
pie, every one of whom were killed but one, and
she was horribly disigured. it was late in the
afternoon before they were recognized.
"There was one incident of the accident
which stood out more horrible than all of those
horrible scenes. In the second coach was a
man, his wife and little child. His name could
not be learned. but it is said he got on at Peoria
When the accident occurred the entire family |
of three was caught and held down by bTQken
Finally, When rslef came, the
qaan tVrned 10 the friendly rescuars and feebly |
said Take out my wife first; I'm afraid the
child is dead SO they carried off the mother
and as broken seat was taken OIL her crushed |
breast the blood which welled from her Lips
old how badly she was hurt. they CARRIED yha |
'hi9d, a fair=hYirea, blue-eged girl of three, and
aid her in the oornteld. derd. alongside of her
lying mother. Then they vent back for the
ather and brought him out. Both his legs were
'foken but he crawled through the corn to the
tide of his wife, and feeling her loved features
II the darkness, pressed some hransiy to hes
lps and aaked how she felt. A feeble groan
vas the only answer and the next instant she